


It Appears I've Made a Grave Mis-snake

by Black_Roses17671



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, He is long danger noodle, Holy heck this got dark, I decided to jump on the boat, I wasn't planning it to turn out like this I swear, It's probably sinking now lol, MC is a dragon hunter, MC is badass, Medieval Time Period, Nagatale, Random short story, Sans is a snek man btw, Sans just wants to be left alone, Trying to be funny, baby's first AO3 fanfic, lamiatale, please laugh, spare me please, whatever it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23947942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Roses17671/pseuds/Black_Roses17671
Summary: Hey there kids! I've been seeing a lot of Lamia/Naga depictions of Undertale characters recently, and decided to give it a shot with writing a short story.Basically, the main character is a dragon hunter that is told there's some kind of Basalisk or Earth dragon attacking people.Being the helpful person she is, she decides to go and investigate, bringing her best dragon hunting gear and such with.But alas! She did not find a dragon waiting for her!In fact, she found something far more interesting...
Relationships: Sans (Undertale)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 80
Kudos: 128





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, did you like my snake pun in the title?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet our main character

Lora was known across the lands as a fearsome warrior.

Even though, when walking among the common folk, she may have looked like a normal woman to the untrained and foolish eye, but that was not the case.

She had run away from home when she was 12, desperate to escape an abusive father shortly after her mother had died, and lived on the streets for about a year.

Those times were tough, few people had enough pity for a little girl to spare some coins. Even then, they rarely had coins to spare.

She had nearly starved to death, when an old, grizzled man had taken her in, and trained her in the arts of hunting rare and powerful beasts.

He was such a kind soul, too, opening his heart and home for some random runaway, half starved child on the streets...

She would always appreciate everything that he had done for her.

Today, however, was a fine day, with a hot blaring sun reflecting off the sword tied to her hip, and a cool breeze relieving some of the blistering heat.

Walking through one of the towns she occasionally liked to pass through, Lora could hear children laughing in the midst of their lively play, squealing with delight at a new discovery.

She chuckled, children were such fun.

"Lora, thank the Gods!" A voice said, as a familiar face approached.

"Aaron, what seems to be the trouble?" She answered back, calling him by name in a polite manner, hoping to herself that she had gotten it right.

Well, he wasn't correcting her, so she must have.

The young man jogged up next to her, breathing heavily for a moment. It seemed like he had been running for a little while.

Patiently, she leaned against a nearby building, allowing him to catch his breath.

"Thank you. As I was saying, we suspect that there's something in the Misty Woods." He said, finally recovering from his wheezing fit enough to speak.

"What makes you think so?" She questioned carefully. She needed to be completely sure that there was an issue before going through all the trouble of setting up camp near the town, and enchanting her weapons properly.

"We've had several travelers come through, speaking of a massive scaly beast that lurks within those damned woods! Seems it's taken a liking to terrorizing them."

She hummed, recognizing that this could, indeed become a problem.

This village relied mostly on importing and merchants, and the Misty Woods made the trips to different regions much shorter. If everybody was too scared of whatever lived in those woods to deliver things, than the village's economy would crumble very quickly.

"I see. Have there been any decent descriptions of the beast?" She said, pushing herself from the wall she had been leaned against and continuing her walk, gesturing for Aaron to follow her.

"Yes, but they all describe it differently. Some say it's big as a house, others say it's as big as a mountain!" He answered back, a bead of sweat on his furrowed brow betraying his possible fear.

"Well, if it were big as a mountain, it would be visible from here, eh?" She mused, shooting the young man a soft, teasing smile.

"Is there anything consistent with their descriptions then?"

"Yes, they all seem to agree that it has no wings, a long scaly body, and a thunderous roar." He stated, watching her reaction.

"Ah, alright, sounds like an Earth dragon, maybe a Basalisk. Shouldn't be too much of an issue to deal with, you guys shouldn't worry." She said, tucking her arms behind her head in a relaxed pose, further cementing the fact that she wasn't worried in the slightest.

After all, she'd dealt with dozens of beasts just like it, so what was one more going to really do?

"Really? It's not an issue?" He questioned, blinking at her owlishly in nature as a sign of surprise.

"No, it isn't, and I'll be sure to give a bit of a discount on this one." She said, giving her companion another toothy grin, as she savored his apparent confusion.

"Alright then, I'll take you to speak to the mayor then, is that alright?"

"Nah, not yet, I'm starved, let me get some lunch first." Lora stated, as her stomach growled ferociously in agreement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lora screws up

After a brief lunch, along with a visit to the mayor residing in the village, Lora was just about ready to go hunt the dragon. All she really needed to do now was make sure she had the necessary supplies, and give her weapons a quick enchanting.

See, the crucial difference between regular hunting and mythical hunting was things like bindings, spells, and elemental charms, which all did a major part in helping to take down mythical creatures. 

Since the dragon, Basalisk, whatever, she was going to hunt was almost certainly earth related as far as elements go, she would use a mixture of air and frost magic in order to, at the very least, weaken and slow down the great beast long enough for her to finish it off.

Enchantments were something that a lot of more inexperienced hunters messed up on, as they were pretty difficult to perform, and not a lot was really known about them. 

Thankfully, Lora had an excellent, and very patient, teacher that had trained her, and knew what she was doing when it came to spells.

Plus, after a little less than a decade of training, she was both well-versed in magical methods of fighting, and physical, her lean, and still slightly underfed body making it easier to dodge attacks, and move with more speed. 

Even though she wasn't as physically strong as most other hunters, considering that almost all of them were male, she was still a formidable foe, and had caused the demise of several mythical beasts. 

Plus, she was smart, and knew when to walk away from a fight, while most other hunters were prideful and refused surrender.

Being a hunter was a dangerous job, as almost everyone that went into that branch of career were killed before they reached 30-35 years old.

But, in her opinion, it was well-worth an early death. As a hunter, she got to see many different lands, beasts, people... 

It was just such a rewarding and rich life, and she enjoyed every second of it.

Bidding a swift farewell to those she knew living in the village, Lora packed up her several knapsacks and bag onto her faithful steed, now well-rested and fed, and set off towards the Misty Woods, in preparation to face her foe.

By the time she reached the edge of the woods, it was already nearly dark, and she would have to set up camp for tonight. 

After all, even though she was here for a dragon, she still needed to be mindful of other things, like wolves and bears.

Unpacking some of her heavier supplies from the back of her horse, she tied the leather reins to a thick, sturdy root, and made sure there was some foliage for her to graze on. 

In the distance, an owl hooted, making the horse whinny in concern.

Feeling sorry for the creature, she patted it's back affectionately, calming her nerves a bit.

Poor Pepper, she'd always been a bit of a scaredy cat.

She supposed that nervousness was a good thing, though. A horse that charged into danger would most likely get both of them killed fairly quickly.

And here they were, four years spent in each other's company, and Pepper had saved her from several nasty encounters thanks to those fearful tendencies. 

She was a good horse, if only her owner didn't constantly put her in danger...

Lora did, indeed, feel bad for dragging such a sweet and already jumpy horse into encounters with wild and dangerous beasts, for nothing more than gold and prestige, but she never seemed to hold a grudge, just learned to better distinguish when to run away, and when to charge.

Sighing, she left Pepper to her dinner, and began eating her own: a loaf of bread, a small handful of dried fish, and some berries that she picked along the way. Thank the Gods she knew which ones were edible.

Pulling out a flask, she washed down her supper with a heavy swig of wine, savoring the sweet, yet tangy flavor, with just a slight burn of alcohol. 

Of course, she wasn't going to allow herself to become drunk on her drink, as she needed to face tomorrow's challenges with a clear, sober mind, she was smarter than that.

This wine, in particular, was a favorite of hers; just enough alcohol to ease her mind, and relax her muscles, but not enough to really intoxicate her. 

With a deep sigh of contentment, Lora made herself comfortable, wrapping herself in the warm, sturdy deer skin cloak she always wore, and allowing the fire she had made to burn out, savoring the last remnants of heat exuding from the embers.

Knowing that Pepper would make enough noise to wake her up if something got too close, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep. She'd really need the energy for tomorrow.

**The next morning...**

When Lora woke up, it was due to the sounds of songbirds, thankfully, and not a terrified horse.

Finding it to still be dark, she guessed that it was around an hour or two before dawn, and while her usual sleep schedule would likely take a hit due to her unusually early awakening, she knew that she would have to get up and get started with preparing herself and her gear. 

Dragons, after all, are more active during the midday/dusk hours, and a sleepy, half awake dragon was easier to deal with than one that got a good night's sleep.

So, despite her still sleep-clouded mind protesting, she hauled herself onto her feet, and began selecting the weapons and armor she wanted to take with.

Usually, as far as armor went, she found metal plated suits to be too heavy for her to wear, as she wasn't physically especially strong, and they just restricted her movements. Although they did offer quite a bit of protection, she preferred a combination of chain mail and leather, with perhaps a light metal breastplate. 

And, even though they protected well against projectiles and fire, she never bothered with shields either, as they were too heavy, and too cumbersome to just carry around.

So, for armor today, she was going with her cloak, a layer of finely wrought chain mail, a thin metal breastplate, leather arm and leg casings, gauntlets, and a hard leather helmet.

As for weapons, she was bringing a dagger, her sword, Frostbane, and her bow, Dragon's Blood, all of which were enchanted with air and ice charms.

Ready to fight this damn dragon, Lora checked the sky one last time, and set out, with the fiery glow of the rising sun to her back.

**A little while later, from a different perspective...**

A yawn split his teeth, as distant, near undetectable rustling noises roused his awareness slightly. 

Stretching, he yawned once more, rubbing his sockets, as he wondered idly to himself what was making such a noise. 

Sure, he was in a forest, a place where life was literally _everywhere,_ and it might have just been a squirrel or a bird.

But he knew better, no wildlife _dared_ to even go near the entrance to his lair, they could sense the death that lingered from the mouth of the deep cave he resided in.

Finally opening his stubborn, very light-sensitive sockets, he peeked out from his home, noting with distaste that the sun wasn't even visible through the trees yet, and the sky was slowly going from a grayish blue color, to a light pinkish purple. 

He grumbled, like the sky itself was mocking him. He was _not_ a morning person.

Turning his attention to the approaching noises of underbrush being trampled, he spotted a human, on a horse, with a hood casting shadows over their face, and a bow slung on their back. 

Ugh, humans. Despicable creatures. 

They were pretty fun to screw with though. 

Knowing that they couldn't see him, due to their horrible eyesight, he slunk back into the cave a bit. As much as he enjoyed messing with humans, it was too early for that right now. 

Maybe if he was lucky, they'd still be around when he woke up, at a more reasonable time.

Whatever, he didn't really care if they were or not; right now, all he cared for was getting back to sleep. 

The human, however, moved closer to the cave, dismounting slowly from their horse, and approached on foot, a gloved hand resting on the metal sword that hung from their hip, as though expecting something to jump out and lunge for them. 

If it were a bit later, he may have considered doing just that, for a laugh or two, but he didn't have the energy nor the will power to right now.

He did notice, however, how heavily armored the human was, deciding that this human was no mere traveler.

Judging by the weapons they had, and the way they had so boldly approached his den, he figured that they must be another hunter.

He didn't really care, and slithered farther back into the cave, turning away from the entrance in an attempt to ignore the human and go back to sleep. As long as they didn't come into his cave, or do anything too destructive, he would leave them to their own devices.

After all, human weapons didn't really pose a threat to him-

Something sharp stabbed at his back, causing him to hiss in mingled annoyance and pain; it was like getting pricked by a thorn, but about ten times worse.

Whipping around, he saw that the human had their bow drawn, and was already notching another arrow, as he ripped out the first, tasting the magic that began coating the air, both from the enchanted weapons, and his own fury. 

As he reared forward, hissing loudly in rage, the human backed up quickly, attempting to dodge his angry attacks, and gave a shout of surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sans: *is snek*  
> Lora: *pokes da snek*  
> Sans: that's it! *becomes danger noodle*  
> Lora: *regrets life choices*


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lora learns to never boop the snoot without consent

**A few moments before previous events...**

Finding a large outcropping of rocks, Lora paused, scanning the area for some kind of cave of crevice large enough for a dragon.

Thankfully, there was a large hole carved into the side of a massive pile of boulders that looked to be just the right size for a dragon nest.

After a moment of silence, listening carefully for any signs of life, she approached the cave mouth, gently sliding off Pepper's back, and rubbing her nose affectionately. The poor girl was spooked again.

As she got closer to the cave, she heard a grating, rasping sound, one that she recognized immediately. 

The sound of scales against stone.

After a brief moment of standing completely stock-still, as dragons had trouble seeing things that don't move, Lora continued, slowing her steps and carefully avoiding gravel and pine cones.

At around five feet from the cavern, the grating sound was heard again, and she saw something large and blue glowing in the pitch-black darkness of the cave.

Sweet, looks like the dragon had some loot, a nice extra bonus for her troubles!

Feeling a bit bolder, she quietly removed her bow from her shoulder, and notched an arrow, aiming it to fire just above whatever that pretty indigo glow was.

Concentrating, she took in a deep breath, and let the arrow fly.

She knew she'd hit the dragon when an infuriated snarl echoed from the cave, making her mentally pat herself on the back, and prepare another arrow.

This fight should be a piece of ca-

Her triumphant thoughts were cut off as the front of a ghastly white face appeared in the darkness, and twin pools of fiery blue met her own grey pupils. 

The only warning she got was an enraged hiss cut through the air, and the beast lunged at her. 

She shouted in surprise, as she ungracefully scrambled backwards, and managed to dodge it's claws, which raked the air mere inches in front of her face.

Pushing herself back onto her feet, she met the intense stare of the fearsome creature, and suddenly realized that this was definitely _not a dragon._

Instead, it appeared to be some sort of half skeleton, half snake creature, with the snake part stretching to what she guessed was at least 6-7 meters, and the skeleton part around 5 feet, not counting the extra length it gained, due to it pushing itself higher off the ground, and towering over her intimidatingly.

While it was, indeed, made of bones, the upper half of the creature's body was incredibly sturdy looking, with several bones either fused together, or much thicker than a regular human skeleton was. 

Whatever this thing was, it was pants-shittingly terrifying. 

If this was what had been terrorizing the passerby, it was no wonder all those poor travelers had made a fuss...

As much as she was suddenly regretting her line of work, Lora knew she still had a job to do, and drew her sword.

The beast, seeming to know what she was signifying by drawing her blade, narrowed it's sockets, as it's entire bottom half began glowing, and the air around it crackled with fury and magic.

She was really in for it now...

After a long, _long_ time dodging the creature's attacks and swipes, Lora seemed to finally be gaining a bit of a foothold. 

Good thing too, because she was beginning to become tired.

Taking an opportunity, as the beast drew back slightly to observe her next movements, she rushed towards it, swinging her sword skillfully, and managing to slice it's body, making it hiss in pain.

Seeing it recoil, she slashed again, only to have the blade stopped short, caught in one of the creature's large hands.

_Oh shit._

Oh shit indeed, as her weapon was ripped out of her hand, and tossed away, while the skeletal snake approached, an angry gleam showing in it's cold sockets.

She tried to draw her bow, but that was torn from her grasp as well, and snapped in half.

Double shit, but she still had her dagger, right...? 

Patting herself down, she found nothing, she must have dropped it somewhere.

Yup, she was probably not coming out of this one...

In her confusion, she hadn't noticed the snake coiling around her, trapping her weaponless body in it's constricting grasp, as she felt magic and warmth humming around her. 

The skeletal torso came to rest a foot or two away from her, eyes watching her movements intently, as a smug grin curled it's teeth upwards. 

"you humans never know when to quit, do ya?" It mused, surprising her with both the impossibly deep toned voice, and the fact that it could speak.

"y'know, you're not the first hunter to come here, seeking easy spoils. in fact, i've seen quite a few, but they all face the same end, no matter how hard they fight." He, or whatever, continued on, as it's sockets lidded. 

She shuddered, fairly certain already of the shared fate of others. 

It looked big enough to swallow a human.

She took a brief moment to wonder whether he would rip her into pieces first, or just swallow her whole, but she had a feeling that she'd find out soon enough. 

"humans are such simple creatures, i can already smell your fear." He stated, a forked tongue flicking from his teeth, and brushing against her helmet, making her shrivel in disgust.

Raising a hand, she felt it latch onto the piece of leather, her only hope of protection, and rip it from her head, freeing her long, tangled auburn locks. 

He seemed to freeze, sockets widened in surprise.

"... you're a girl...?"

"Damn right I'm a girl, and if you don't let me go this instant, I'm gonna knock your teeth out!" She shouted back fiercly, baring her much less impressive fangs threateningly. 

He blinked, before the smugness slid back onto his expression, increasing tenfold.

"huh, no offense, but you're not exactly in the position to be making threats right now, are ya?" 

She growled, wriggling in his grip, as he watched her struggles in clear amusement, seemingly knowing that she was never getting out unless he let her. 

"now, what's a pretty little thing like you doing out in the woods, hunting monsters? i thought by your age, most human girls would be busy nursing children." He questioned, voice growing softer, and with a curious undertone lurking in the silky depths of the deep baritone. 

She had to physically restrain herself from spitting on him, deciding that it wouldn't do her any favors.

"That's none of your business, now let me go!" She spat, wriggling around more, but focusing extra attention on getting her arms free. 

Her stubbornness payed off, as she managed to get her dominant hand free, while the snake thing continued to leer down at her mockingly.

Staring up at him in irritation, she brought her free arm back, and clocked him straight in the jaw, quickly regretting doing so as her hand crunched, and the skin broke.

Yet, that seemed to surprise him, and he was stunned for a moment, slightly loosening his death grip, and allowing her just enough space to get free.

By the time he snapped back into focus, she had already mounted her horse and began riding off, eager to dip the hell out as quickly as possible. 

Sans stood, jaw throbbing from the punch the human had given him, as he took a bit of time to process what he had just experienced. 

Another hunter tried to kill him, that was fairly normal. 

But this one was female, and apparently very strong willed, perhaps a bit touchy over her current lack of a mate.

And, she had _actually_ carried out her threat, and decked him across the face, something that _none_ of the previous hunters had tried, even in their most desperate moments. 

This one was... Interesting. 

Flicking his tongue out, he tasted the air, catching a hint of her scent of the breeze; a pleasant mixture of wildflowers, sweat, and rain. 

Glancing up at the now very visible sun, he began sliding through the undergrowth, continuing to coat his tongue in the scent of the human female.

He was too intrigued to just go back to sleep now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And just when Lora thought she was out of the woods...

Two weeks were spent in the village, attempting to do what she could to prepare more weapons and enchantments, and nursing her hand, which was apparently broken from punching solid bone. Lora could admit, trying to clock a skeleton in the face wasn't a very good decision on her part, but at least she'd managed to escape.

Who knows what would have happened if she hadn't slipped away...

Learning from her mistakes, she also began pouring over the library, reading several old books and tomes in order to hopefully classify what she had encountered, and perhaps even find a way to kill it.

She also spoke to some of the elders residing in the village about her experience with the snake thing, but made sure that they didn't speak to anyone else about it. She didn't want the entire town anymore panicked and scared than they already were, and an intelligent half snake, half skeleton monster was likely to just frighten them.

She eventually managed to learn, from an excerpt out of an old bestiary book, that the creature classification for her snake friend, was something known commonly as a "Naga," known for both it's half human half snake appearance, and it's tendencies to eat children.

The issue that she had with just assuming that the creature was simply a Naga, was the fact that, for one, it was a skeleton, and that Nagas seemed to almost always have the half human form of a beautiful woman, not a large, terrifying skeleton. 

They also apparently only grow to around 5-7 feet long, while the one she encountered must have been at least 20.

So yeah, she felt justified in assuming that they weren't the same thing. 

But still, she could assume that they shared at least some weaknesses. 

As the book stated, Nagas were weak to fire and blizzard magic, as their bodies never did well to resist dramatic changes in temperature. 

Surely it wouldn't hurt to try using some of that next time?

However, due to what she still considered a near death experience, Lora was hesitant to step foot into those woods again, and even briefly considered retiring altogether, and settling down somewhere comfortable, living out the rest of her life in peace.

But, she eventually came to the conclusion that if she didn't do something about the snake thing, nobody would. And she doubted other hunters would take the time to learn about what they were dealing with. 

So, in order to save the wonderful little village that she had grown uncharacteristically attached to, she decided to face the creature again, armed with better weapons and a sharper wit. 

As long as it didn't have any especially new tricks up it's sleeves, she already knew at least partially what it was capable of, and may be able to bring it down this time.

She hoped that she lived to regret this...

A week later, after nearly a month out of action, Lora had purchased herself new weapons, enchantment materials, and armor (which was leather, with a thin sheet of tin plating the outside), along with a boost of confidence, thanks to the knowledge she had gained.

This time, however, she was going to enter the woods on foot, instead of dragging her poor horse into battle again.

And, after Aaron and a few other concerned townsfolk insisted for her to bring someone else with, she was going to be facing the beast with another hunter. 

While her companion, whose name was Arthur, was younger and far less experienced than her, he was stronger, and fairly intelligent. 

Plus, in order to make sure that nothing bad happened to the kid, she ordered for him to flee immediately if she was struck down. She would feel horrible if he died on a mission she had dragged him into. 

She had also given as detailed a description as she could to him, in order to better prepare him for the Naga they were going to face, and so that he wasn't too horribly surprised when he saw it. 

In exchange for his help, she was offering him half the bounty she received, and a permanent apprenticeship under her, which he was very happy to accept.

He was such a sweet kid, she would have to make extra certain that no harm came to him.

After making sure that Aaron would be up to the task of caring for Pepper, Lora and Arthur rented a wagon, and directed to be dropped off at the northern edge of the Misty Forest, only roughly an hour's walk away from the Naga's lair.

Bidding a farewell to the driver, Lora turned towards her younger companion with a nervous smile, seeing the excited gleam in his sweet, chocolate brown eyes.

He was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Alright, you hungry or anything, or will you be fine for a while?" She asked, as he shook his head.

"Nope! I'm just really happy to be here, Miss Lora!" He answered, giving her a bright smile.

She smiled back, feeling her heart warm at his endearing behavior. In a few different ways, he almost reminded her of a puppy, with those big brown eyes, and happy demeanor.

"Come help me with the fire then, there's a lot to do." 

About an hour later, their camp for the night had been set up, and she was preparing a meal for both of them, roasting a pheasant that Arthur had managed to shoot on the way there, while he munched idly on some berries.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" He asked, as she hummed thoughtfully.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't really have a plan when it comes to assignments. Just stay behind me, and don't die." She answered, pulling the stick that the poultry was skewered on out of the fire, and examining the bird. 

"Ok, just promise you won't hurt yourself trying to save me?" He asked, staring towards her with large, innocent eyes.

"Yeah, I promise, I'll be careful if you will." She agreed, extending the cooked pheasant towards him.

Smiling, Arthur ripped a drumstick off the still-steaming bird, and began eating his dinner, trying to be polite and not stuff his face. 

The next morning, just before dawn, the pair set out. Lora, of course, led the way, as she knew where the Naga's nest was, and they got there in record time, taking a couple moments to prep their swords and bows. 

Arthur had chosen to bring a shield along, even though it was made of much lighter metal than a standard knight's shield was, and offered to block attacks for her if she needed him to, since he was strong enough to carry it around. 

Soon, they were ready, and Lora shot an arrow into the dark recesses of the cave, hearing a hiss of irritation follow her attack. 

After a brief moment, and some grating sounds, the snake revealed itself, though a lot slower and more calculated than last time. It still seemed like she had managed to catch him during sleep, a yawn split his teeth, and showed the massive sharp canines he possessed, despite the smooth, flat appearance his teeth portrayed before.

As he met her gaze, however, his sockets brightened, and a smirk curled at his mouth.

"so, you've come back, huh? i see you've brought a friend too." He observed, his gaze drifting over Arthur for a brief moment, before refocusing back onto her. 

Meanwhile, the kid was apparently in awe over the Naga, as he stared in silent wonder. 

"Prepare to die, snake." She hissed, drawing her sword threateningly, as he didn't look intimidated in the slightest. 

"really? "snake" is the best insult you could come up with?" He hissed back, as his smug grin stretched a bit higher.

She didn't answer, instead allowing Arthur to get over his wonder and loose a flame enchanted arrow into his body, as he reeled back in what appeared to be surprise and pain. 

"i see how it is. y'know, i tried to be fair, but if you want to fight dirty..." 

The arrow was pulled from his hide, when a soft _ping_ rang out from seemingly nowhere, and the humans stumbled, struggling to stand. It felt like boulders were being piled onto their backs, forcing them closer to the ground. 

They both dropped the weapons they held, as they continued to fight the pressure being exerted onto them.

"having fun yet?" He hissed mockingly, approaching them slowly, seemingly amused at the sight of them so vulnerable and weak. 

Lora noticed that his body was glowing now, the normally slightly transparent indigo scales shimmering with a bright aqua light. Clearly, some sort of magic was at play here, that must be what he meant by "cheating."

She eventually gave into the weight of her body, allowing herself to crumple onto the ground, while Arthur wasn't faring much better, but still placed himself defiantly between her and the Naga.

The snake in question only sneered, encircling both humans in his coils, and tossing their abandoned weapons to the side. For whatever reason, despite Arthur being more aggressive, he seemed more interested in her than the teen. 

Suddenly, the snake's eyes snapped onto the younger human, baring his fangs threateningly. 

"i'll give you a chance to leave now, boy. if you don't take it, i'll make a meal of you."

Arthur froze, genuine fear flashing in his eyes, before it vanished, replaced with something she could only really describe as DETERMINATION. 

To her and the snake's surprise, he managed to rise to his feet, meeting the Naga's cruel, piercing stare, and spread his arms in an attempt to shield her.

"No, I won't let you kill her!" He shouted, defiance coating his usually soft voice, while the snake's eyes narrowed, seemingly displeased. 

"so be it. you've chosen your own fate." He hissed angrily, as the magic that hummed through his coils suddenly increased. 

With a lightning fast strike, his fangs sunk into Arthur's shoulder, as the teen cried out in pain and surprise, falling backwards. 

She crawled towards him, as the blood drained from his face, and his breathing became ragged.

"Hey, hey, look at me, ok? It's gonna be fine, you're gonna get through this, I promise." She muttered reassuringly, as he looked up at her, seemingly struggling to keep his eyes open. 

"I feel so tired, Miss Lora..." He whispered, as his eyelids began fluttering shut. 

"No, you stay awake, hear me? Don't go to sleep on me now, you'll make it through this...!" She trailed off hopelessly, as the color in his skin faded, and foam began bubbling from his mouth, breathing becoming so shallow she could barely hear it. 

He coughed once, as his lips turned a pale blue color, and blood bubbled from his nose and eyes.

"No, damn you, stay awake!" She yelled, tapping his cheek, before delivering a harsh slap, trying to revive him.

But nothing happened, as a last, rasping sigh slipped from him, and his body went still, eyes glazing over. 

Knowing somewhere deep down that he was already gone, she still checked his pulse, and didn't know why she was even remotely surprised when she felt nothing.

A sob slipped out of her, as she finally allowed the fact that he was never waking up again to sink in.

For what must have been several minutes, Lora knelt down, grasping the body of the young boy close to her, as she wept for his fate. It was so unfair, so cruel, that someone so young and innocent should meet such a horrible demise at her hands.

If she would have just ignored the others, he would still be alive...

She felt a hand grasp her shoulder, although she barely registered it, and the voice of the snake mutter a single, soft word.

Her consciousness left her, as her body relaxed.

"sleep." He muttered, feeling the female human's body give up fairly quickly, making sure to catch her before she collapsed. 

Seeing how she reacted to the boy's death... It made him regret killing him a bit. 

But, he had given him a chance to leave, it wasn't his fault he hadn't taken it. 

Even though he felt guilt over his recent actions, he wouldn't take them back. 

Now, he had the human where he wanted her. 

Plus, who was he to let a perfectly good meal go to waste?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lora learns to never poke the snek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really start coming up with names for the chapters...

Lora groaned, as she rubbed her eyes, freeing them of the crusty crap that had formed in her tear ducts. Finally able to open her eyes without feeling like they were glued shut, she was a bit surprised to be met with nothing but pure, pitch darkness. 

Huh. Well, unless she had managed to sleep through a whole day, it shouldn't be this dark out. 

Actually, even at night, it wasn't this completely dark, so...

Her thoughts cut off, as a rasping noise started right next to her, and the events of the previous day came flooding back.

She felt tears begin to sting her eyes as she thought of Arthur, but blinked them away.

Now wasn't the time, she could mourn him properly when she got out of whatever mess she had entangled herself in. 

As her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, she could _just_ make out the outline of something large in the shadows, only a couple feet away from her. 

She also noticed very faint light coming from her far left, coloring the darkness nearby a slightly lighter grey.

Running a hand experimentally over the surface she was currently laying on, she noted that it felt like animal pelts, along with some pieces of strangely textured cloth.

She concluded that she was in the Naga's den, and likely on his nest, as that would explain the oddly comfortable surface she was perched on. 

Lora realized very quickly that she needed to leave as quickly as possible, if she didn't want to become his next meal. 

She reached out her hands, feeling around for any handholds, and found something smooth, and cool to the touch, that was lightly textured. 

Feeling a bit bolder, she gripped the surface she'd found, and used it as support for her to stand up, stepping out of the nest carefully.

Suddenly, the thing she was currently supporting a large amount of her weight on shifted, causing her to stumble slightly. 

Confused, she felt the strange texture again, recognizing it as some sort of small plated pattern...

Wait.

Those felt like _scales._

Quickly realizing her folly, Lora snatched her hand away, and dashed towards the lighter patch of darkness in a desperate attempt to get out. 

She was only 3 feet away from freedom when it was snatched away from her. 

Without any sort of warning, and hand curled around the hood of her cloak, making her jolt to a harsh stop, before being tugged back into the darker depths of the lair. 

She heard a chuckle behind her, as an arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her against a cold, solid body, and coils began entwining around her legs, further locking her in place.

"that didn't take long." A smooth, deep voice retorted, as warm air brushed against her neck, causing a shudder to crawl down her spine. 

The hand that had previously grabbed hold of her cloak instead cupped her cheek, running over the smooth, slightly scarred skin slowly, almost as though savoring the feel of it.

She flinched away from the touch, trying to avoid as much physical contact with the snake as possible. 

Not an easy task, as she was currently being held like a teddy bear. 

  
He 'tsked' at her, seemingly disapproving of her rebellion, but loosened his grip on her anyways, even though he still didn't fully let go.

"So, what are your plans with me, snake? Are you going to devour me? Kill me?" She asked, as she was turned around to face him. 

She looked him straight in the eyes as she questioned, which were easy to pinpoint, due to them being basically twin indigo flames.

"no, nothing of the sort." He answered back, as the lights flickered eerily.

"But... Aren't your kind supposed to eat humans...?"

"sometimes, but i had a rather filling meal recently." There was an odd, almost teasing tone in his voice, and she was having trouble deciphering what it meant.

"besides, even if i _had_ an appetite, i have _far_ more important plans for you." He added, the muscled mass of his lower body curling around her loosely. She felt a slight uneven lump in the lower part of the snake body, somewhere around the middle, leading her to believe what she was sensing was the "meal" he'd said he ate earlier.

"...What are those plans then?" She asked carefully, her sight adjusting enough for her to make out his face in the darkness.

A small, sly smile curled at his expression, as he tightened his grip on her, and a hand trailed along her waist, as she resisted the temptation to smack it away.

"you see, that's the thing; i'm not really sure yet." 

She stared up at him in confusion, but waited for him to continue.

"ever since you attacked me, i haven't really known what to make of you. sure, you're yet another hunter, trying to kill me for gold, but you're so... _different,_ from most of the humans i've seen. there's something about you that i can't quite put my finger on." He said, as her brow furrowed at his words. In a way, they almost sounded like... A confession?

Apparently, he wasn't done yet.

"i for one, _love_ puzzles, and i can't wait to crack _yours._ " He finished, as his grip tightened more, constricting her slightly.

Lora had _no idea_ what to make of this.

"What will happen when you've figured me out?" She asked, expecting a response that suggested her demise. 

"that remains to be seen." He answered vaguely, only succeeding in leaving her more confused.

"now, you're probably going to be hungry soon; will you stay here and wait while i get you something, or will i have to take precautions to make sure you don't leave?" He questioned, a slightly annoyed undertone hinting that he already knew her answer.

"I'll stay put." She stated, hopeful that he would buy her lie.

Instead, he actually leaned back and _laughed at her,_ his body shaking hysterically as he never bothered to restrain his amusement at her obvious attempt to fool him into letting her escape.

Eventually, he wiped a tear of mirth from his socket, as his laughter faded to giggles.

"yeah right, i doubt it." He said, as the crushing feeling from before came back, making her collapse as he slowly removed himself from her. 

When he reached the exit of the cave, he paused, and removed the effect, before setting up a wall of blue glowing pillars at the opening. 

He shot her a grin, before slipping off into the night.

After he left, she stepped forward, inspecting the pillars. 

Lora observed rather quickly that they looked like bones; fitting for a skeleton monster, she supposed. 

Touching them, however, brought a shock of pain, and trying to force her hand through only resulted in increased agony, and no progress. 

She was stuck, with nothing she could do about it. 

Deciding her only option, other than continuing to hurt herself, was to stay put, she found her way back over to the nest and made herself comfortable in the mass of animal pelts. 

Bored, she began picking through the pile, classifying the animals they had likely come off of. 

While the majority of skins were deer, she did feel what seemed to be wolf pelts, along with some kind of big cat, squirrel, and even a bear or two. 

She paid more attention to the oddly textured pieces, running her hands over the seemingly out-of-place material in an attempt to figure out what it was.

Eventually, to her unease, she realized that it appeared to be some form of clothing, ranging from cotton, to wool, to leather. 

The mass of pelts even had a few pieces of leather armor buried in the lower layers.

How many humans had he killed to get all these?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn some backstory, and other stuff

Sans hummed happily to himself, as he slipped through the forest he had become so familiar with over the past century or so.

He had settled himself here when he was young and weaker, chased from his birthplace by hunters, and drawn to the Misty Woods by the abundance of easy prey. Of course, back then, there had only been a very small number of humans in the area, and they never really bothered him, unlike now.

Being so well-fed on squirrels, fowl, and whatever else he managed to catch, he had grown at a rate much faster than most of his kind were known for, reaching adult size in about 5 years, while most didn't get that big until around 10.

Even then, he hadn't fully stopped growing, due to his ever-growing appetite and his ability to hunt larger prey. 

Then again, the fact that the region he settled in had an unusually high supply of magic probably helped with his rapid maturity.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as the sound of twigs breaking reached his non-existent ears, and he began hauling himself up the nearest tree that would support his weight.

He inwardly groaned at the effort it took to lug himself high enough to avoid detection, due to his recent meal.

He always hated the first couple days after a large meal, his uncomfortably full stomach making it much more difficult to move around as effectively.

Still, it could be worse, a full stomach was better than an empty one.

Watching the path he had previously been following, he spotted a large cat-like creature come into view. 

He inspected it carefully, noticing the rippling muscles underneath it's sleek, spotted fur.

If he wasn't so cumbersome, he would kill and skin it, the pelt looked like it would make excellent nesting material.

Right, he had to worry about that now, due to the human female he was housing.

While Sans, admittedly, had encountered many females of different species in the past, none of them stuck around long enough for him to seriously consider their needs, or how comfortable they would be with staying permanently. Usually, they had come and gone within the course of a few days.

This one, however... Hopefully she stuck around for a bit longer, even if she seemed eager to leave.

He was greatly intrigued by her, as she behaved _nothing_ like the other human women he had observed, she was much more stubborn and strong willed. From he could tell, humans preferred their women to be soft spoken and obedient.

...Maybe that's why she didn't appear to have a mate yet, then?

Made sense, humans were very picky when it came to partners, always considering things like looks, intelligence, strength, personality...

His species was not nearly as choosy. They couldn't afford to be.

But... He could admit, the human that he had managed to capture _was_ appealing to the eye.

In his taste, though, she was _far_ too thin, she'd have to be fattened up a bit.

Females should be plump and squishy, they were nicer to cuddle with that way.

He waited patiently, watching the big cat eventually trot off after a bird or something, allowing him to finally clamber ungracefully down from the tree he'd been sitting in.

Tasting the air for potential prey, he picked up the scent of a young rabbit, something that wasn't very common in these woods. They usually preferred grasslands.

Following the scent, he also noticed the chill that coated his tongue, and the bright red and yellow leaves that were spread across the ground. 

Winter was coming a bit quicker than he would have liked, but he was certain that he could keep his human warm and well-fed, his hunting skills weren't exactly something to scoff at.

He'd have to make sure to eat much smaller meals during that time as well, so that he wasn't weighed down by a full belly.

As he caught sight of the velvety ears that only a rabbit possessed, he sunk lower to the ground, flattening his large body against the frost-bitten earth.

Approaching the small creature quietly, he lined himself up for a pounce, and landed almost squarely on top of the small animal, encircling it in his coils before grabbing it between large, slightly clumsy phalanges.

He could feel it's small heart racing, as it squirmed in his grip, desperate to escape what it knew was certain death.

Grabbing the head of the rabbit in his hand, he twisted it's neck with a sharp _crack!_

The small body went still, and it's heart ceased it's frantic thumping.

Satisfied that his new companion would eat well tonight, he stroked the dead bunny's soft fur gently, feeling a bit sorry for the poor thing.

At least it's death had been a quick, painless one.

As he approached his den, he made sure to begin skinning the rabbit, something that he never really had difficulty with, due to his sharp claws.

All he really had to do was make a few small cuts, and carefully separate the layers of skin and fur from the flesh, making sure as little blood as possible got on the pelt. 

Usually, he ate his food raw, preferring to just swallow it whole instead of going through the trouble of preparing it, but he knew that his companion wouldn't be able to do the same, due to her small mouth and sensitive stomach.

So, he removed the organs and less tasty bits, leaving them for any scavengers that happened to be out, while he cut off the head and let it drain a bit.

When he was satisfied with this, he used a bit of fire magic to roast the meat, careful to try and cook it evenly, as humans didn't do well with raw meat.

Happy with his ability to provide, he slipped back into the den, as his own attacks didn't effect him, and found her laying in the nest, seemingly having gone back to sleep.

Instead of waking her up right away, he took a moment to savor the peace-filled expression on her face, instead of fear or anger. 

He brushed a hand gently along her cheek, as she shifted in her sleep, mumbling something unintelligible.

Deciding that food could wait a bit, he tucked himself around her, and held her smaller, softer body against his own, feeling the soft rise and fall of her lungs as she breathed.

Humming in contentment, he almost allowed himself to go back to sleep as well, but fought the urge. She would probably be pretty freaked out if she woke up to a gigantic snake thing spooning her. 

As much as his affection starved SOUL hated him doing so, he pulled away, albeit a bit reluctantly. 

Cuddles could wait, until she become more comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sans: *angrily whisper yelling* oh, you are getting ALL the cuddles when you quit hating me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lora learns more about Sans

When Lora woke up, she could immediately smell roasted meat. Her stomach growled, as she realized just how hungry she was.

Opening her eyes, she saw that it was still dark outside, but a lantern had been lit in the cave, most likely for her sake, rather than the Naga's.

Speaking of, he was resting a few feet away, and a roasted rabbit hung in his grasp, seemingly taunting her from the clutches of his sharp claws.

Carefully, she approached him, and tugged the rabbit from his hand, making empty sockets snap onto her.

She jumped and squeaked in surprise and fear, shrinking away in an instant. There was something so eerie about seeing his sockets so void of light.

He seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in, lights returning, and his expression softened.

"sorry, must've dozed off." He said, blinking a few times.

Almost like he was realizing that he still clutched the food in his hand, he glanced down at it, before extending it to her, looking at her like one would with a wild animal.

It was a hopeful expression, like he was looking for trust, or acceptance.

She stared silently up at him for what couldn't be any less than a full minute, examining both his expression, and the food that was still being extended out to her.

Eventually, she gave in, carefully tugging the rabbit from his hand, still watching him warily, while a small, barely noticeable smile curled his teeth.

Crawling backwards with her meal, she settled herself just outside of the nest, and tore into the still warm, well-cooked flesh. It was a bit gamy for her taste, but it would do.

Meanwhile, he watched her eat with that dumb smile still plastered onto his face, like he was happy to watch her nourishing herself, or something like that.

Whatever, she didn't care. Right now, she was too focused on trying to fill her empty stomach.

When she had satisfied her hunger, she fought the urge to curl up and go back to sleep, instead watching the Naga in front of her. 

Maybe now would be a good time to try and learn more about him.

"So... Do you have a name?" She questioned quietly, still a bit hesitant to really attempt to communicate with him.

His eye-lights snapped into focus, locking onto her as they widened.

"oh, yeah uh, my name's sans." 

She mulled over the name in her head, it was much different than the ones that humans usually had. 

Though... It was kinda a nice name, she supposed. 

"Sans...?" She tested it, surprised at how easy it was to pronounce, and how it almost seemed to glide off her tongue.

He noticeable brightened up a bit, apparently pleased that she was so quick to start using it. 

Though, in his book, it was almost certainly several steps higher than just "snake."

"...if you don't mind me asking, what's yours?" He questioned, moving a bit closer to her.

"My what?"

"your name? i never got it, and i'm not sure you'd like me addressing you as "human" too much."

"Oh." She almost flushed at this, embarrassed by her own short attention span.

For a brief moment, she considered whether or not she should share her name with him. In mythic culture, a name was an important thing, and if someone knew your name, they immediately had a large amount of power over you. 

But... He had already given her his, he was already trusting her.

In fact, he was already putting a ridiculous amount of trust in her, having let her into his den, slept in the same space as her. Hell, he'd even fed her.

At this point, she was just an annoying guest, taking from him, and never giving anything back, not even trust. Despite his track record with humans and hunters, since allowing her into his home, he never once raised a claw to hurt her.

"Lora, my name is Lora." She said, finally, extending a hand out to him, trying to act a bit more friendly.

He smiled again, as he took her hand, and shook it gently, mindful of his claws.

"that's a really nice name." He said, sockets crinkling as the smile widened.

After a moment, she pulled her hand away, and hesitated, wondering if she should try and learn anything else about him.

"Uh, how long have you been living here?" She asked, as he puffed out a breath.

"longer than you've been alive, i'm sure." He answered.

She was surprised by his answer, as he didn't _seem_ very old. Then again, he _was_ a skeleton, so it was hard to tell.

"So you must be pretty old then, huh?" She questioned.

"my kind live a lot longer than yours, i'm still considered to be fairly young." He stated, as he began slithering away, towards the exit of the cave.

"Oh. Where are you going?" 

"nowhere, just figured you'd still be tired, and wouldn't be too keen on me hovering over you while you slept." 

That was... Probably true. 

Ah, who was she kidding, it was _definitely_ true, she still didn't trust him, and still resented him for...

Wait, why did she hate him again? 

He did something, whatever it was, it had been _unforgivable,_ why couldn't she remember it?

_**~~And why did her head hurt so much...?~~ ** _

A crackling noise filled her ears, drowning out her painful thoughts.

_What was she thinking about again?_

_Whatever it was, mustn't be very **important,** then._

She looked up at Sans, who was watching her with a slightly worried expression. It was nice to see that he cared about her.

_It had been a long time since someone actually took the time to care for her._

She smiled reassuringly up at him, as his expression relaxed, and he moved closer.

"you good?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something." She answered, shifting aside in the nest to make room for him.

"what was it?" He asked, settling his long body next to hers, close enough for her to feel the welcoming warmth radiating off of him.

"Funny thing is, I can't remember anymore, it's kinda bugging me." She answered, as she snuggled closer to him with a satisfied sigh.

"mm, must not be important then." He mumbled back, curling some of his coils around both of them, further filling the nest with a comfortable warmth. 

She hummed, as her suddenly very tired mind began slipping off, nestled in ~~that **bastard's**~~ her _mate's_ arms.

_~~No, no **no,** this isn't **right-!**~~ _

She felt so _at peace._


	8. Chapter 8

A month had passed since she first began living with Sans, and every day was nothing short of _a dream come true._

She couldn't remember a time when her life was just so _perfect._

She had all the food she could eat, a warm nest...

And most importantly, a mate that loved and nurtured her.

Sure, he could be a bit difficult at times, but he cared so deeply for her, and always made sure to bring her only the best prey he could find.

He kept her warm and safe, would amuse her with jokes whenever conversations became dull, he just did _so much_ for _her._

In a way, she felt a bit guilty with the sheer amount of affection he lavished on her, while she just sat back and offered what little bit she could give him.

She felt like he deserved better than her...

But, he always insisted that he was _content_ with her, that she was enough in his eyes, that she was _precious to him._

_When was the last time somebody was so forgiving with her, so understanding and accepting?_

_She couldn't remember._

~~_But then again, she had trouble remembering **anything** before **him** nowadays._ ~~

"hey." He said, snapping her from her thoughts.

"What is it?" She asked, tilting her head up at him curiously.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, carefully thinking over whatever it was he wanted to say.

"do you love me?" He finally questioned, looking genuinely anxious over her answer. 

_He was so sweet..._

"Of course I do, why do you ask?" She answered back, giving him a soft, affectionate smile to reassure him.

"i was thinking... if you're ok with it, we can... seal the deal, you know?" He said, in a much quieter, almost shy, tone. He even turned away to hide the indigo blush that was spreading onto his face.

Without another word, she settled herself onto his lap, or where it would be, rather, and kissed him.

He seemed caught off guard by the response, but quickly mimicked the gesture. Although his actions were a bit clumsy and inexperienced, he returned the gesture enthusiastically, despite his lack of lips.

Smiling into the kiss, she leaned back, just far enough to separate herself from him. 

"Is that enough of an answer for you?" She asked coyly, watching his expression go from blissful and content, to mischievous. 

"fine, if you wanna play like that..." She was suddenly pushed onto her back, making her squeak as he settled himself over her, those beautiful twin pools of blue floating in his sockets lighting with _want._

_Looking up at him, though, something felt so... **Wrong.**_

_**Why was she so happy with him? ** _

~~_**He did something horrible, and here I am, letting him act like we're on our honeymoon?** _ ~~

~~_**No.** _ ~~

~~_**NO.** _ ~~

_**I WON'T stand for this!** _

"Get off of me **right now."** She snarled, feeling fire build up in her chest. Her head hurt like hell, but she knew deep down inside that this was _wrong._

He looked so _shocked_ by her response, staring silently at her with sockets wide, and mouth hanging open slightly.

"how did you-" He was interrupted by the kick she landed on his bottom half, having learned her lesson from last time she had tried to hit bone.

He yelped in pain, as she slipped out from under him, scanning for something she could use as a weapon.

Nothing, except some leftover animal bones on the ground, guess they'd have to do for now.

A snarl of pure _rage_ rumbled from the beast, as he rose from the ground, fire dancing murderously in his eyes.

**_Damn,_** _he recovered **quick.**_

**"you're more difficult than i thought you'd be."** He growled, as his fists clenched, and teeth gnashed angrily.

"Fuck off, you bastard child of a snake and a _whore._ " She spat back, wielding the largest and sharpest bone from the pile.

He snarled, lunging forward, raking sharp talons through the air, right where her face had been a moment ago.

With a growl, he lunged again, forcing her to leap to the side to avoid him, but a sweep of his tail had her hit the cold, hard ground, both managing to stun her, and knock the air out of her.

She also felt like she hurt something when she fell, but didn't get as much of an opportunity as she would have liked to check, before the snake was looming over her. 

His sockets were cold and empty, as his teeth pulled downwards in a threatening scowl.

Glancing over her surroundings, she spotted something shiny and metal in a far corner of the cave.

_A knife!_

If she could manage to get over there and grab it, she could potentially escape this hell, and kill the bastard that had caused her so much grief.

However, thing's didn't look too promising at the moment, as he leaned above her, using his arms to trap her in place.

"you know, if you wouldn't have fought so hard, you could have been happy. you could have lived out the rest of your life blissfully unaware of any complications, setbacks, distractions..."

"I would have been a slave to you! I bow to no one!" She spat, staring up at him, mustering the most hateful, venomous glare she could. If looks could kill, he would have burst into flames by now.

"maybe, but you wouldn't have known it." He added, a cold, hollow smile stretching across his face. 

"but now, since you've decided you want to fight, i'm not going to give you such MERCY. i want you to suffer through _every. second."_ He hissed, as the crazed grin began pushing up further, more than seemed healthy or comfortable.

"i was willing to be kind to you, treat you like an equal, but now... _you'll be nothing but a **toy.**_ "

"You're a _monster."_ She snarled, trying to keep herself from outwardly displaying any of the fear and anguish that was welling up inside of her. 

She eventually failed, flinching when he leaned closer.

**"yup, and _don't you forget it."_**

Panic set in, as she felt a clawed hand grab hold of her shirt, tearing it in half, whilst she struggled and fought against his touch.

Glancing around in desperation, she saw the previously forgotten bone lying a few inches away from her.

Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, she wrapped a hand around the smooth, clean surface, and jammed it into one of his sockets.

He screamed in pain, raising both hands to his eye to dislodge the bone, as she bolted towards the back of the cave.

She glanced behind her, watching in horror as he ripped the bone from his socket, a shower of dust and blood following the action, and locked gazes with her, his body crackling with furious energy.

He snarled, as a _ping_ rang through the air, and she collapsed, feeling the crushing sensation of his magic force her body against the floor. 

She was only about four feet away from the knife, that glinted at her teasingly, promising safety against the beast.

She crawled forward, glancing behind her to see him advancing towards her, rage written on every feature, and exuding from his body in waves of aggression.

She needed to hurry up.

Her body burned in protest as she dragged herself closer to the knife, the rasping sounds behind her growing nearer by the second. 

They were speeding up, he was moving faster.

Just a foot away from the knife, she felt a hand latch onto her ankle, beginning to pull her backwards.

By some divine miracle, she managed to grab the knife before he pulled her away from it.

Without a moment's hesitation, she flipped herself onto her back, and with a battle cry, slashed the knife across his chest.

He gasped, backing away from the blade, but it was too late; she'd already hit him.

He clutched at the slash wound she'd carved into his ribs, trying to stop the blood that was leaking from the injured bone. He coughed, crimson dripped from his teeth. 

Shaky, wheezing laughter bubbled up from him, as he leaned back, blood spurting even more violently from his chest with every laugh, staining both her, and the floor with the thick, grainy liquid.

"congrats, looks like you got what you came for." He eventually spat bitterly, staring apathetically at her with cold eye-lights.

"got anything to say?" 

"Yeah." She said, stepping towards him, as he sunk to the floor.

His body was slowly breaking up, pieces of dust fluttering off of him more and more rapidly.

She stood above him, a scowl fixed onto her face, as he only stared up at her.

She placed a foot onto the top of his ribcage, just above the slash wound.

"See you in hell, fucker." She snarled, stomping onto the thinning bone, crushing his ribs and spine. 

His sockets went dark, and the haunting smile dropped, as he fully disintegrated into dust, the only evidence that it was ever a living creature now being the blood that flecked the ground, her boot, and her ragged clothes.


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attempt to put a nice conclusion to an unexpectedly dark story.

"Wait, wait wait! Are you sure that this is all _true?!_ " A child sitting closer to the hunter asked, his expression displaying shock and slight suspicion.

"Of course." Lora answered, as the other village children, and a few stray teens, looked on in awe. 

Well, everyone but Fletcher, who continued to look disbelieving.

"Well, I think you're lying, there's no _way_ that there was a Naga in the woods! Everyone knows that they're just a story!" He said, puffing and crossing his arms.

"Oh yeah? Then I suppose dragons, trolls and goblins are fake too? Or what about Jabberwockies, Bandersnatches, and fairies? Are those all just stories too?" She asked, gesturing to the many skins, scales, and furs that hung from her armor, all from a mythical beast she had fought in her lifetime.

"Well, those aren't fake, because you have proof! Nobody ever saw any proof for this Naga you said you fought!" Fletcher piped back.

"So it's proof you want, huh?" She questioned, as she rose from her seat, and entered her home.

The children stayed in their spots, confused.

A moment later she returned, holding a small glass vial, filled with sparkling silvery dust. 

"There's your proof." She stated, as the children passed the vial around, each examining the dust with curious eyes. 

"The only reason I don't have his scales hanging from my belt is because he turned to dust after he died. The same dust you hold in your hand." She said, nodding towards Fletcher, who was holding it quizzically. 

The child looked at her, before passing the vial back, going quiet.

"I nearly died to that Naga, and I'm sure that you've all heard about Arthur a few different places." Lora added, watching as several bowed their heads, a mutual silence settling over the group of children.

"Is that why you retired then?" One teenage girl in the back asked.

"Yes. By that point, I decided that I had enough adventures for a while, used some gold to build myself a home, and settled down." She answered, giving a soft smile to the child sitting closest to her, a bright red-headed girl with blue eyes, hugging her leg.

Reaching down, she dislodged the child from her limb, instead pulling her onto her lap.

The girl giggled, as her mother kissed her forehead affectionately.

"Any more questions, then?" She asked, sweeping her gaze over the small gathering.

"Have you seen another Naga since you've retired?" A boy asked, shrinking a bit when several pairs of eyes fixed onto him.

"No, I haven't. It's a good thing though," she said, grinning a bit to herself, "I've hated snakes since then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this one's pretty short, but if you guys have any further questions that you want answered, put 'em in the comments, as that's what the last chapter'll be for.


	10. Some Questions Answered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I answer a few questions

Firstly, as a note; I understand that Lora seems like some sort of poacher but that is NOT the case. 

She, unlike poachers, and other hunters for that matter, only kills mythical beasts when they start killing people, or putting them in danger. 

She collects their skins and stuff because, face it, if YOU were taking out stuff like dragons, etc, you'd _for sure_ wanna grab a souvenir.

Also, as another note, Papyrus is not around in this world, because Sans was chased away from his old home by hunters, while Papyrus was either killed or forced to go into hiding when they were both very young; basically just children. They essential, barely even knew each other, which is my head cannon reason why Sans is so drastically different in this fic, as compared to others of it's kind.

So, question one, is how Sans messed with Lora's head the way he did. The answer to this one is... Drum roll please...

Magic! If you could see me, I'd accompany my answer with jazz hands!

Allow me to elaborate: Different monsters and such, depending a lot on their personalities, as their personality reflects their SOUL, have different effects that their magic puts on people.

Sans, as a Naga, I imagine and depicted as being a lot like regular Sans, except in this version, with no Papyrus as his conscience, along with naturally being more smug, sly, and manipulative, all traits that I define as "snakelike."

So therefore, I see his magic manifesting in different "mischievous" ways, such as causing hallucinations, altering a person's mindset, things like that.

With Lora, the main character, being exposed to so much of his magic, having been attacked by him and spending time in a very magic enriched place, she unintentionally absorbed some of Sans' residual magical energy, and he was able to manipulate how it affected her.

So yeah, magic! Hope that answers some things for you guys! 

That is it for now, but if more questions pop up, I'll be sure to answer them here!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this, and feel free to say something in the comments.


End file.
